The Svensson estate was insane. So were the Svenssons. Garrett and Mace sat in the front of the car, arguing. I was sitting in the back of Mace's car with Davy. The little kid smelled a lot better than he had the last time I'd seen him.
I still wasn't sure what my job was supposed to be. I had been bored out of my mind all morning. I’d alternated between looking up information about the Svenssons online and texting with Morticia and Lilith about how awful Bronwyn was. I also snuck glances at Garrett in between text messages. If Davy was the cute, cuddly model, Garrett was the hard-ass. He hadn’t smiled once—not even when Donna had brought Davy upstairs.
"Your brother's mean," I whispered to Davy, making him giggle. I thought I saw Garrett stiffen for a second.
"Are you going to decorate for Halloween?" I asked when we pulled up in front of the estate, which had been built out of huge chunks of gray stone with ornate detailing, floor-to-ceiling windows, and several turrets that put Mimi's haunted Victorian mansion to shame. I was in awe. "You could have anawesomeparty here!"
I tried to take in as much information as possible for my article. During the mind numbing-hours I had spent on Garrett's couch researching the Svensson brothers, I hadn’t found much information—only gossip and speculation. Hot billionaires, big house, tight-knit family. So far there hadn’t been anything super salacious that people probably didn't already know. The Svensson brothers went to work then went home. Sounded pretty normal. But everyone had skeletons in their closets—especially in a house this size.
"Are we going inside?" I asked as innocently as possible.
"No." Garrett said. "My car is out here."
A large man with a big bushy beard came out from a side entrance. "Welcome, friend of Garrett," he said, hugging me.
"Remington, you can't just hug people you've never met," Garrett snapped, pulling him off me.
Remy hugged Garrett instead, and I laughed at the face he made.
"This is our oldest brother," Garrett explained when Remy released him.
"I have a meeting," Mace said, waving as he handed me Davy's booster seat.
"Hungry!" Davy said as Mace drove off.
"Me too!" I told him.
"Remy's going to feed you," Garrett said.
"Bye, Davy!" I called. Davy looked like he was about to start crying.
"If you're good, Penny will come visit you," Remy said to Davy, bouncing him up and down.
"That's right!" I exclaimed, ignoring Garrett's scowl. "I'll come by and make Halloween crafts, and we'll make cupcakes."
Davy blew me a kiss, and I blew one back.
"We're friends!" he called happily.
"Wearefriends, Davy! Now I have to drive your brother to work, because apparently he broke the law. Don't be like Garrett."
I turned to the sleek black sedan that glimmered in the sun. A Tesla.Very snazzy.
"This is a nice car."
"Don't scratch it," Garrett warned. He was standing possessively by the driver's-side door.
"I need to drive." I held out my hand. "Keys?"
Garrett glowered at me and didn't move.
"I’m a great driver," I told him. "Very careful."
He slowly moved around to the other side of the car while I readjusted the seat and the mirrors. I smiled at him as he sat in the passenger's seat and buckled his seat belt.
"You will be very happy with my chauffeuring service," I told him. "Oh, you know what? I'm going to buy a cute little chauffeur's outfit with a matching hat and gloves."
I wanted to see how far I could push him. With the way Bronwyn was acting, it was doubtful I would even last the week, so why bother acting professional at all? I didn't know how I was going to get enough info for the article if I wasn't even allowed inside the house.
